North Carolina [USA], August 8 : With the coronavirus lockdown easing in most parts of the world, most pet parents are on their way to return to their offices leaving the pets alone at home.
According to ABC 11, this separation of pets from their parents after staying together for over three months can lead to separation anxiety and can trigger stress
"Dogs don't know that we're in a pandemic and, we don't know that, inadvertently, we're creating a pet-demic," ABC quoted a dog trainer, Shane Gentry as saying.
According to the report of the outlet, the lifting up of restrictions will lead to a large number of pets experiencing separation anxiety.
"If they're not contained. You're really setting yourself up for some potentially harmful behaviors from your dog by ingesting inappropriate things, chewing up inappropriate things. Not only can it be dangerous, but it can also be expensive," said Shane.
According to the trainer, pets can be trained to be left alone at home by making a few adjustments. An effective step in the direction is that of letting the pets be on their own for a little while during the time pet-owners are with them.
"It's purposeful randomness. Put them in the crate, out of the crate, six or eight times a day. And, it doesn't have to be a crate, it can be a gated off the laundry room, just separate from it," ABC quoted Gentry as saying.
"Even if you are in a space where you don't have a lot of room to separate, simply cover the crate with a light sheet or blanket nothing real heavy, obviously, we want them to be safe in there and we don't want them to get hot or be struggling, but, visually cut off," he added.
He said that the pet should be released from the separation area only when they are calm. Training the pet in this manner will gradually make them habitual to be on their own in the house.